Peru Travel Forum

I'm not going to bother bringing my cell phone because I heard that it would be really expensive or that it won't work. (AT&T from the US) But, I have heard that you can easily rent cell phones for the time you are there when you get to the airport. Is this true and what do I look for?

HELLO TO ALL AND I HOPE YOU ARE WELL.

IF ANYBODY CAN HELP WITH ADVICE I WILL APPRICIATE THIS VERY MUCH.

ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND WILL BE IN LIMA PERU NEXT MONTH FROM THERE WE WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL BY BUS OR TRAIN TO SANTIAGO , CHILE. WE DONT WANT TO FLY AS WE WANT TO HAVE ADVENTURE AND SEE SIGHTS ALONG THE WAY.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TRAVEL FROM LIMA TO SANTIAGO THE BUS OR TRAIN ? WHAT IS
THE COST ? AND HOW IS THE JOURNEY ?

HOW IS THE BORDER CROSSING ? DO WE NEED TO GET OFF THE BUS AT THE BORDER AND HAVE A VISA OR WHAT HAPPENS ?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR REPLY

Hi there,

please comment if you have any info on this:

I am traveling in November and December.

Looking to travel Quito To Cuzco. Airlines online are 500$+...

Anyone ever traveled on a charter flight for cheap ? Anyone have connections with travel agents down there ?

Train: Is there a train I can take ? How long is it ? Connections ?

Bus: I heard it takes 2+ days and buses dont show up on time etc.

What is most recommended way of traveling ?

Thanks to everyone that replies.

Alex

Hi there,

please comment if you have any info on this:

I am traveling in November and December.

Looking to travel Quito To Cuzco. Airlines online are 500$+...

Anyone ever traveled on a charter flight for cheap ? Anyone have connections with travel agents down there ?

Train: Is there a train I can take ? How long is it ? Connections ?

Bus: I heard it takes 2+ days and buses dont show up on time etc.

What is most recommended way of traveling ?

Thanks to everyone that replies.

Alex

Contemplating flying into Lima from Rio and staying for a day or two then going to visit Machu Picchu. Question is, where is a good place to stay near there? Should we stay at Cusco, Aguas Calientes or somewhere in between.

I gather you catch the bus to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes. Correct?

We (2 seniors) will be spending the coming winter in Peru, at least one month in Lima (MiraFlores, perhaps). Does Lima get any sunshine at all during this time? Reports have been confusing so far.

We want to stay in self catering places , about a month in each place. Cusco, to see Machu Picchue and Sacred Valley etc., and one other place we havent decided on as yet.

Any suggestions for a third location? Suggestions for self-catering near Lima, and in Cusco, and third location?

We are in our late 60s and are wondering about the likihood of altitude sickness and what to do about it - non medical solution if possible.

Thanks

I am currently planning a trip to Peru in January. Flights from Baltimore to Lima are very affordable right now according to what I have seen so far. But I am looking at flights from Lima to Cusco and they appear to be quite expensive. Its only a little over an hour fight but most of the rates I have found are close to $500. Am I looking to early and maybe should hold off and check again closer to January. Or is it generally that expensive to fly between the two cities?

Larry

Hola ,

I’ll be in South America in November and have drafted an impossible itinerary and now I can use all of your help to get it right. I do travel at a fast pace and take countries by storm instead of smelling the roses but transport limits anybody’s options

This is/was my initial plan
7/nov Flight Bxl - Rio
8/nov Rio
9/nov Rio
10/nov Iguazu BR
11/nov Iguazu AR
12/nov Buenos Aires
13/nov Buenos Aires
14/nov BA to PM
15/nov Perito Moreno
16/nov Perito Moreno
17/nov Travel to Atacama
18/nov Atacama Laguna Miscanti y Miniques & Valle de la luna
19/nov Atacama Chuquicamata & El Tatio Geyser
20/nov Atacama Buffer day
21/nov Chile - Bolivia
22/nov Uyuni
23/nov Uyuni
24/nov Uyuni
25/nov Uyuni or La Paz
26/nov La Paz
27/nov Coroico
28/nov Fly La Paz - Rurrenabaque
29/nov Rurrenabaque
30/nov Rurrenabaque
1/dec Rurrenabaque
2/dec Lago Titicaca
3/dec Copacabana & Isla del Sol
4/dec Arequipa
5/dec Colca Canyon
6/dec Colca Canyon
7/dec Cuzco
8/dec Machu Picchu sunset
9/dec Machu Picchu sunrise - fly Cuzco to Lima
10/dec Lima
11/dec Flight Lima - Atlanta
12/dec Atlanta
Flight Atlanta - Brussel
13/dec Back Home


My draft plan is indeed too tightly scheduled as I find out while booking flights/buses/tours..
My original plan was to fly between these destinations :
Rio - Iguazu - Buenos Aires - Perito Moreno - Calama/San Pedro de Atacama
But Perito Moreno is indeed too remote and takes a lot of time and money to reach, then also difficult to continue to Calama as this seems to be a small airport. Besides I prefer nature to cities and as I only planned to spend 2 days in Buenos Aires that is an expensive flight from Iguazu. So in case I skip BA and PM I can continue from Iguazu to Calama, unless the flight from Rio is a lot cheaper but then I should book an all in tour from Rio to Iguazu (return flight + park entrance + hostel).
Do you know by chance if there are any interesting offers ? I did some research on the internet but most sites are in Portuguese, difficult for me.
I'll land in Rio on November 8th , where I will spend 1 or 2 days so I can book a tour to Iguazu starting from November 9th or 10th to spend 2days there as I want to see both the Brazilian as the Argentinian side of the falls and preferably also go as close as possible by boat.
Do you also know which airline proposes a good connection from Rio (or Iguazu) to Calama (Chile) ?

If rio-iguazu-rio is not worthwhile then I might still fly to BA and continue by bus through North Argentina towards Atacama. How many days should I foresee for this, with stops in Mendoza and Salta? Can I include nightbuses to win some time?
Which option would you recommend? 1. Rio - Atacama or 2. Iguazu-BA-Mendoza-Salta-Atacama

I've been told about corrupt customs agents on the CL-BO border, now you tell me it's AR-CL.... it's all part of the fun I guess

Do tour operators offer to visit the nice places in Atacama and also drop you off at Uyuni? Do you have a website or email of the tour operator that can do all this?
Can I book the Salar de Uyuni tour towards La Paz, starting from Uyuni ?
So far I found there are only 2 buses a week from Atacama to Uyuni , but hope that is not true
http://www.sanpedroatacama.com/ingles/ir.htm
Should I also include a buffer day to cross the Bolivia-Peru border?

Is it true that the Salar de Uyuni is flooded by rain in nov-dec? Does that not spoil the scenery? Hopefully I can get to see it at sunrise, the best moment of the day to enjoy nature's beauty.

Can I book an all-in tour from La Paz to Rurrenabaque(flight, safari, accomodation, .. booze?)

Re Machu Picchu I understood so far that the entrance to the site is unlimited, but they only allow 500p/day on the Inca Trail, which I'm not doing due to lack of time. On the other hand I should be very early there to get a ticket for the Huaynu Picchu on the other side so I can enjoy the sunrise from there. Is all this correct?

Sorry for this huge bunch of questions, but I'm looking forward to go to South America for the first time and really want to make the best out of it

feel free to contact me directly on christian.buchheit@gmail.com as I read those emails a few times a day

Muchas gracias para ayudarme
hasta luego,
Christian

I know there are hundreds of travel agencies/tour operators in Cuzco, but...
Which travel agency in Cuzco do you recommend for the Machu Picchu train tour?
Thanks!


Sé que hay cientos de agencias de viajes/tour operadores en Cuzco, pero... Qué agencia de viajes recomiendan para el tour en tren a Machu Pichu?
Muchas gracias!

Is there a direct bus from colca canyon area or chivay to cusco, if not where is nearest place to get one to cusco?(do u have to go back to Arequipa or can u get bus from say chivay to Juliaca, then cfonnect to cusco?)thanks

If i stay 3 days n cusco to acclimatise and i don't do trek, i go on train to AC, then MP by bus do i need Diamox??????????????

Also if i do trek, and stay in Cusco 3 days would that be sufficient, or would i still need Diamox(my doctor did'nt prescribe it as he said 3 days in cusco would suffice, need advice from trekers who have done classic Inca trail?? please.(i can but it in peru if i need it.)

anyone know the international phone rates per minute (either internet cafe or phone card) to Europe? is it cheaper after a certain time in evening?.

beside cruz de sur, what other safe buses go from lima to nazca in daylight hours?(tried cial, but website in spainsh)with english website?

can u do sacred valley(pisac,urubamba and olly) yourself, can u get to the sites by public transport?, how many days would do it justice?

can u buy ticket to AC from Olly train station? someone said u were'nt allowed in the station without a ticket?

is $450 for MPtrek 4D3N reasonable, i did'nt think it was that much? is llama path a good one? anyone been trekking with them recently? any other recommendations?

Hi there
I will go to Peru 10th Oct to 1st Nov and doing Tucan travel Ballestas trip here http://www.tucantravel.com/tour/ballestas-2/zjl/?wl=

Am starting to panic re equipment because it seems that the weather is so changeable - warm one moment, cold the next etc, depending on where you are. Don't want to bring the kitchen sink!!!
Any recommendations overall for smart packing?

Also, we are doing Lares trek in October (16-18/19 Oct?), and have a +2 sleeping bag and silk liner. Will that be warm enough at night? Do we need to bring mats do you think?
Also during the day - will regular light trekking pants be ok or should we bring thermals for underneath.

Any other recommendations for what to bring or what to wear on the rest of our trip?

Thx
C & W

50 years ago my father worked in the Cuzco area on a contract that lasted almost 3 years.
He was there working on the construction of a huge communication mast (tall tower) that he described as being on top of a mountain.
Me and the wife will be visiting Cuszco in January 2010 and we are wondering if anybody knows if there is a mast sitting on top of a mountain nearby? It would be nice to see this if it’s still there.
If there is more than one mast then that would complicate things a bit but 45-50 years ago was when he was there and when it would have been erected.
Can anybody help with this unusual request?
Brett

Is it a very bad idea to travel to Cuzco in February based on the weather?? I will be in Lima mid-February and plan to travel to Cuzco with my husband and two young daughters. We've been trying to make this trip for quite some time while in Lima, but something has always has come up. I have been there, but it's time for my husband to visit, he's a history teacher.

what is cheapest way to phone Europe from peru, is it prepaid cards(which one) or is it calls via internet cafe(skype no good, dont have PC)/

Is it cheaper to buy Diamox altitude in peru,will the instructions be in spanish(mine is basic) anyone know a rough cost and how many do u need if going to cusco, M.P, sacred valley(do u need them for sacred valley, or should u continue taking them once u start in cusco?)and Lake Titicaca, how many days after do u take them once u leave altitude?

Has anyone used express bus service to Lima central, apparently it cost $5 compared to $13-16 for taxi, if so does it leave from International terminal or just the Domestic terminal. Are the terminals walking distance apart? any help would be great, thanks.

We are 6 adults we cannot affort to spend $600 to sleep one night at Machu Piccho. any suggestions. October 30 or 31 st 2009

Hi all,

can you give me the name of a store where I can purchase a SIM card in the Miraflores area in Lima? thanks.

Hi, I will be traveling to Lima, Peru in late October and will stay for one week, its my first time going there, and are a little worried about what precautions to take, does anyone know if vaccines are needed, especially now that H1N1 is out there? and what other if any precautions needed with the food. I apppreciate any one who can advise on this. thanks in advance

OK, here goes.
We have, 5 weeks of time, a medium budget and a blank piece of paper to start writing our plans onto. We have many places in Peru we would like to visit but we are wondering if we could chill out at a beach for a few days on our travels. Are there any nice beach areas in Peru that are accessible?
Also, just to be a bit different we are exploring the idea of visiting the Galapagos Islands, is this possible from Peru? If so how do we get there? In fact it doesn’t have to be the Galapagos Islands, are there any islands off of Peru that are worth visiting?
Brett

Hey, this is Diego.. my main reason of traveling? Well i'm going to train there coz i'm kind of professional runner.. Anyone would like to join? would be awesone! I've never been in Cuzco so have enough time to work a little bit, run and work volunteering. So, if u can gime me some tips, do it!

Hola,

I am just wondering how much a taxi would cost from the main plaza to Sacsayhuaman.

Thanks!

Hello,

I'm headed to Lima for the first time in 10 years. During my last visit, I had a difficult time exchanging U.S. dollars (some banks did, others didn't, hours were sporadic, etc.). Also, credit cards were not always accepted by smaller merchants.

Are ATMs a good way to go these days (keeping safety and convenience in mind), or should I exchange money prior to arriving in Peru?

Many thanks!

Hi, im planning to do the inca trail begining of march 2010 (as heard its shut feb) and i need to get down to santiago to catch my flight to new zealand (not yet booked yet as not sure how long will take me). does anyone know about any buses cusco to lima to get internal flight down or overnight bus? or does anything (flight/buses) go from cusco direct to santiago?
Cheers
Christina